Author: Veronica Charalambous

The Honorable Tanya Davies MP Visits CARDET to Explore Mental Health and Well-being Initiatives

Written by Veronica Charalambous on 26/08/2025. Posted in Blog.

On Tuesday, 26 August 2025, CARDET had the distinct pleasure of welcoming Η.Ε. Μs. Tanya Davies MP, State Member for Badgerys Creek and former Minister for Mental Health, Women, and Ageing for the Government of New South Wales, Australia. The visit placed a strong emphasis on youth mental health and well-being, fostering a productive dialogue on knowledge exchange and best practices in prevention, early intervention, and community-based support.

Showcasing Innovation in Mental Health

CARDET presented a portfolio of pioneering initiatives designed to strengthen mental resilience, promote positive psychology, and address emerging challenges in digital well-being. The showcased projects included:

Thriving Schools – Aims to implement a whole-school, systemic approach to mental health and well-being across Europe.
PERMA Digital – Aims to develop and implement a whole-school program for well-being in digital education, assessing its potential to be mainstreamed and scaled up through mixed-methods research.
Supporting Mental Health Resilience among Youth in Cyprus – A collaborative initiative with UNICEF and the Ministry of Health.
European Teacher Wellbeing and Career Observatory – Monitors and promotes teacher well-being across Europe.
Digital Harmony – Encourages healthy digital behaviors and online safety.
YouthWell – A platform enhancing the psychosocial well-being of adolescents.
Ageing Well – Encourages healthy and active aging.
Glitter – Supports evidence-informed policy at the European level by developing and testing a whole-school approach that brings several evidence-based tools and practices into a coherent whole to enhance digital well-being.

During the visit, Ms. Davies showed particular interest in strategies for early intervention, youth engagement, and smooth transitions from hospitalization to community care. Discussions also highlighted CARDET’s ongoing research and development in mental health, the role of social media and influencers in spreading positive mental health messages, and approaches to sustainable funding and partnerships.

A Shared Commitment

The visit underscored Ms. Davies’s commitment to advancing youth mental health and her support for sustainable, community-driven solutions.

For CARDET, the exchange reaffirmed its mission to innovate, collaborate, and inspire action—working hand-in-hand with local and international partners to ensure the well-being of young people and communities.

UST Project Successfully Concludes, Equipping Municipal Staff for Sustainable Tourism

Written by Veronica Charalambous on 21/08/2025. Posted in Project News.

The UST – Upskilling Municipal Staff’s Competences on Planning and Managing Sustainable Tourism project has officially concluded, culminating in the successful implementation of Multiplier Events across all partner countries. These events showcased the project’s key achievements, including the innovative UST e-course, the comprehensive Handbook on Sustainable Tourism, and the interactive Self-Assessment Tool.

Designed to enhance the skills of municipal staff and local stakeholders, these resources support the development and management of tourism strategies that are economically viable, socially inclusive, and environmentally sustainable. By promoting knowledge exchange and fostering collaboration, the project has delivered practical tools and actionable pathways for municipalities to adopt resilient and future-focused tourism models.

Although the project has reached its conclusion, all resources remain freely accessible to support ongoing learning and practical application throughout Europe and beyond.

Discover the full range of outcomes and resources at https://ustproject.eu/

RALExILA: Strengthening Adult Education in Europe through Innovative National Registries

Written by Veronica Charalambous on 07/08/2025. Posted in Project News.

On Wednesday, 6 August 2025, the second pilot event of the RALExILA project – National Adult Learning Registries to Support the Development of Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) – was successfully held at the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth.

Co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, the initiative focuses on enhancing adult education systems across Europe through the creation of comprehensive National Adult Learning Registries and the promotion of Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs). The pilot meeting marked a crucial step towards refining the model developed within the RALExILA project to better suit the Cypriot context.

The event brought together representatives from the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, including the Office of European and International Affairs, Lifelong Learning and Adult Education (IDEP), the Directorate of Primary Education, and Training Centres. Participants engaged in an interactive agenda that included:

A presentation of the current landscape of adult learning registries and ILAs across Europe
An introduction to the RALExILA model
Discussions on challenges, stakeholder needs, quality assurance mechanisms, and system governance
Exchange of user experiences and ideas for improving the relevance, accessibility, and usability of the system

Through their contributions, participants provided valuable recommendations and feedback on the RALExILA model, as well as for the finalisation of the forthcoming Handbook on National Adult Learning Registries.

The event concluded with a reflection session, reinforcing the commitment of all stakeholders to strengthening adult education infrastructures at the European level.

This initiative is aligned with the priorities of the European Agenda for Adult Learning 2024–2025, as well as the upcoming follow-up project for the 2026–2027 period. It also reflects the broader philosophy of the National Strategy for Lifelong Learning, aiming to increase adult participation in lifelong learning through appropriate mechanisms and relevant initiatives.

For more information about the project, please visit: https://ralexila.eu/

EGIDEV Game Now Available: A Gamified Pathway to Digital Entrepreneurship for VET Students

Written by Veronica Charalambous on 05/08/2025. Posted in Project News.

As the EGIDEV project draws to a successful close at the end of this month, we are proud to announce the official release of the EGIDEV Game – an innovative educational tool designed to support Vocational Education and Training (VET) students and educators in exploring the world of digital entrepreneurship.

EGIDEV, short for Educational Game in Digital Entrepreneurship for VET Students, was developed with the aim of making entrepreneurship education more accessible, interactive, and engaging. By integrating principles of gamification, the project has created a comprehensive board game that encourages students to learn by playing – transforming complex entrepreneurial concepts into practical and enjoyable learning experiences.

This dynamic game has been developed, tested, and translated into all project partner languages, ensuring accessibility across Europe. It is accompanied by a rich collection of digital resources, including videos and articles, to enhance the learning journey and support both students and educators.

Explore digital entrepreneurship through play – the EGIDEV Game is now freely available to download, print, and play: https://egidev.eu/print-the-game/

We warmly invite the VET community – educators, trainers, and students – to explore this exciting tool and integrate it into their learning environments. By combining strategy, creativity, and fun, the EGIDEV Game helps develop critical digital entrepreneurship skills while fostering collaboration and innovation.

The EGIDEV project aims to facilitate both VET students and teachers in learning and teaching the principles of entrepreneurship through gamification, across different stages of business development. Its key objective is to deliver an educational game where learning by playing enables a deeper understanding of digital entrepreneurship and its challenges.

For more information and to access all game materials, visit: https://egidev.eu

RECOVER Project Harnesses the Power of Sport to Support Survivors of Human Trafficking

Written by Veronica Charalambous on 05/08/2025. Posted in Project News.

On the occasion of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons (30 July 2025), the RECOVER project spotlights the role of sport in supporting the recovery and reintegration of trafficking survivors across Europe.

With a firm belief in the transformative power of sport, the RECOVER project unites partner organisations from Greece, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Cyprus, and Lithuania to promote healing, empowerment, and social inclusion for individuals who have experienced human trafficking.

Funded by the European Union, the initiative is developing practical tools and resources for professionals working directly with survivors, including:

A capacity-building programme for sports coaches, trainers, and support professionals that focuses on trauma-informed coaching, safe and inclusive sporting environments, and trust-building strategies.

An interactive e-guide that complements the training curriculum, offering actionable guidance and gamified tools to integrate sport into recovery pathways.

An awareness-raising toolkit designed to highlight the value of sport in the rehabilitation process, aimed at both social care and sports sector stakeholders.

A key milestone in the project’s first phase is the finalisation of a Common Analysis Report, drawing on insights from approximately 150 experts—including psychologists, legal professionals, educators, and coaches—through interviews and focus groups conducted across all six partner countries. This report, to be published by the end of August, will underpin the project’s next steps and tool development.

For more information and updates, visit: www.recover-project.eu

UST: New Handbook Empowers Municipalities to Lead in Sustainable Tourism Development

Written by Veronica Charalambous on 28/07/2025. Posted in Project News. 18 Comments on UST: New Handbook Empowers Municipalities to Lead in Sustainable Tourism Development

As European cities face increasing environmental and socio-economic pressures, the role of municipalities in shaping responsible tourism has never been more critical. The UST Project (Upskilling municipal staff competences on planning and managing sustainable tourism) has now published a comprehensive Handbook to support medium-sized cities in becoming effective drivers of sustainable tourism.

Funded by the Erasmus+ Programme (2022–2025), the UST project brings together partners from Sweden, Italy, Cyprus, and Spain with a common goal: to strengthen municipal capacities through targeted training, practical tools, and knowledge exchange.

At the heart of this effort is the UST Handbook, a rich and practical guide designed to:

Help municipalities assess their sustainability performance through a dedicated self-assessment framework;
Showcase concrete examples and good practices from European cities;
Provide strategic insights on aligning tourism planning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
Encourage interdepartmental collaboration and long-term, community-centered approaches.

The Handbook presents not only theoretical concepts but also real-life experiences and reflections from cities such as Falköping, Scandiano, Xixona, and Kalmar, where local authorities have successfully linked tourism to broader goals like biodiversity, inclusion, local identity, and social equity.

More than a manual, the UST Handbook offers a mindset shift: placing sustainability at the core of municipal governance and viewing tourism as a shared, long-term investment in people and place.

Read more about the project here.

RoboAquaria Project Concludes Final Partner Meeting in Crete

Written by Veronica Charalambous on 28/07/2025. Posted in Project News.

With ocean pollution and climate change increasingly threatening marine ecosystems, the RoboAquaria project is responding by promoting environmental awareness and sustainability skills from an early age. By integrating Educational Robotics into classrooms, the project empowers teachers and students to engage with climate and marine protection topics in innovative ways.

After a year apart, the RoboAquaria partners reunited in person for the third and final Transnational Partner Meeting (TPM), hosted by the University of the Aegean (UAegean) on the island of Crete. This meeting marked a key milestone as the project enters its concluding phase.

Partners took the opportunity to reflect on progress made, including the validation phase carried out in schools, and to plan the final steps toward completion. The consortium continues its work on the project’s main outputs: a Methodological Framework for the Pilots, Guidelines for Teachers, the RoboAquaria Toolkit with Lesson Topics, and an E-Learning Toolkit with Open Educational Resources (OERs).

With strong collaboration and shared commitment, the RoboAquaria project is on track to leave a meaningful impact on environmental education through the use of robotics in the classroom.

Learn more about the RoboAquaria project, here!

UST Project – Smart Tourism in Action: Empowering Local Authorities for a Greener Future

Written by Veronica Charalambous on 25/07/2025. Posted in Project News. 5 Comments on UST Project – Smart Tourism in Action: Empowering Local Authorities for a Greener Future

The public event “Sustainable Cities in Action: Upskilling Local Authorities for Smart Tourism” took place successfully on Friday, 25 July 2025, at the Amphitheatre of the District Organization of Local Authorities of Famagusta (EOAA). Organised by CARDET, the event was held in the framework of the European project UST – Upskilling Municipal Staff Competences on Planning and Managing Sustainable Tourism, aiming to strengthen the capacity of local authorities in designing and managing sustainable tourism strategies.

Bringing together representatives from local authorities, tourism professionals, and education and training providers, the event focused on the exchange of good practices and the exploration of innovative approaches for developing sustainable and smart tourism strategies in small- and medium-sized cities. Through targeted presentations and open dialogue, participants underscored the importance of digital transformation, innovation, and lifelong learning in enhancing the capacities of municipalities to address contemporary challenges in tourism management.

A key highlight of the event was a featured presentation of best practices from the European project fuTOURiSME, which is also being implemented in Cyprus by CARDET. The session provided practical examples of how sustainability and digitalisation can be effectively embedded in local tourism strategies, inspiring participants to adopt adaptable and forward-thinking approaches within their own contexts.

The programme included key presentations on redefining tourism in small and mid-sized cities, an overview of the UST project results, a case study on a local ecological initiative, and an introduction to the innovative WASD-AI concept currently being piloted at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The event concluded with an engaging discussion among participants, followed by a networking session.

The active engagement of attendees reflected a growing commitment to sustainable tourism planning at the local level, as well as a shared vision for building smarter, greener, and more resilient communities.

For more information about the UST project and CARDET’s work on sustainable tourism, please visit the page here.

CARDET: Ένα ταξίδι 20 Χρόνων στην Καινοτομία και Εκπαίδευση

Written by Veronica Charalambous on 22/07/2025. Posted in 20 years, Media Highlights.

Το CARDET, ένα από τα πιο σημαντικά ερευνητικά κέντρα της Κύπρου και της Νοτιοανατολικής Μεσογείου, γιορτάζει είκοσι χρόνια πρωτοπορίας και ουσιαστικής συμβολής στην εκπαίδευση και την κοινωνία. Από την ίδρυσή του το 2004, το CARDET έχει εδραιώσει τη θέση του ως κορυφαίος ανεξάρτητος, μη-κερδοσκοπικός οργανισμός, με όραμα να ενδυναμώσει άτομα και κοινότητες μέσω της δια βίου μάθησης, της τεχνολογίας και της καινοτομίας.

Ένα Όραμα που Εξελίσσεται

Με φάρο την πεποίθηση στην εκπαιδευτική δύναμη της αλλαγής, το CARDET συνεργάζεται με οργανισμούς παγκόσμιας εμβέλειας, όπως η Microsoft, η Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή, η UNICEF και το Yale School of Public Health. Αυτές οι στρατηγικές συνεργασίες έχουν οδηγήσει σε έργα που υλοποιούνται σε περισσότερες από 40 χώρες, επηρεάζοντας πάνω από τρία εκατομμύρια ανθρώπους.

Το CARDET, βασιζόμενο σε αξίες όπως η ακεραιότητα, η διαφάνεια και η κοινωνική ευθύνη, εργάζεται για την προώθηση της βιώσιμης ανάπτυξης και της κοινωνικής ένταξης, προσφέροντας πρακτικές λύσεις για τις ανάγκες της σύγχρονης κοινωνίας.

Κύριοι Τομείς Δράσης

Η δράση του CARDET περιλαμβάνει ένα ευρύ φάσμα τομέων που αντανακλούν την πολυδιάστατη φύση του οργανισμού:

Εκπαίδευση και Δια Βίου Μάθηση: Δημιουργία καινοτόμων εργαλείων για την ενίσχυση των δεξιοτήτων του 21ου αιώνα.

Ψηφιακή Μάθηση: Εφαρμογή τεχνολογιών αιχμής, όπως η ρομποτική, η τεχνητή νοημοσύνη και η εικονική πραγματικότητα.

Κοινωνική Ένταξη: Παροχή πόρων και υποστήριξης για την ενσωμάτωση μεταναστών στις τοπικές κοινωνίες.

Ευημερία και Ψυχική Υγεία: Υλοποίηση προγραμμάτων που προάγουν τη συνολική ευζωία.

Βιώσιμη Ανάπτυξη και Επιχειρηματικότητα: Ενίσχυση της καινοτομίας για τη δημιουργία βιώσιμων λύσεων.

Μέχρι σήμερα, το CARDET έχει φέρει εις πέρας περισσότερα από 400 έργα, χτίζοντας ένα ισχυρό δίκτυο συνεργασιών που συνεχίζει να επεκτείνει την επιρροή του τοπικά και διεθνώς.

Επιτυχίες με Διεθνή Αντίκτυπο

Το CARDET διαπρέπει στη σχεδίαση και υλοποίηση προγραμμάτων που αντιμετωπίζουν κρίσιμες κοινωνικές προκλήσεις. Από την ενίσχυση των εκπαιδευτικών συστημάτων μέχρι την κοινωνική ένταξη περιθωριοποιημένων ομάδων, η επίδρασή του οργανισμού αγγίζει κάθε γωνιά της κοινωνίας. Μέσα από την ενσωμάτωση της τεχνολογίας στην εκπαίδευση, το CARDET προσφέρει ευκαιρίες που προσαρμόζονται στις μεταβαλλόμενες ανάγκες του κόσμου.

Νέες Πρωτοβουλίες για το Μέλλον

Στο πλαίσιο των εορτασμών για τα 20 χρόνια του, το CARDET παρουσίασε την πρωτοβουλία “Twenty4Twenty”, μια σειρά από εθελοντικές δράσεις που ενισχύουν τις τοπικές κοινότητες και προάγουν την κοινωνική και εκπαιδευτική πρόοδο. Παράλληλα, ο οργανισμός σχεδιάζει να επεκτείνει τη δραστηριότητά του με νέα έργα, ενδυναμώνοντας τη δέσμευσή του για έναν πιο δίκαιο και βιώσιμο κόσμο.

Με το βλέμμα στο μέλλον, το CARDET συνεχίζει να αποτελεί καταλύτη αλλαγής, προσαρμόζοντας τις δράσεις του στις ανάγκες των ανθρώπων και της κοινωνίας.

Το άρθρο δημοσιεύτηκε στο Paideia News

Empowering Youth and Caregivers: Sons of Silence Peer-to-Peer Program Launched to Address Domestic Violence

Written by Veronica Charalambous on 22/07/2025. Posted in Project News.

On July 11, 2025, the Sons of Silence (SOOS) Peer-to-Peer program was officially launched as part of the broader SOOS project, a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on addressing the impact of domestic violence (DV) on young people.

The program introduced a series of presentations, brochures, and scenario-based materials developed by the project consortium, designed to help individuals recognize and respond effectively to domestic violence. The resources specifically targeted young people and parents or caregivers, offering practical examples of how to support a friend or a child who may be experiencing abuse.

Young people, youth workers, and parents participated actively in the training sessions. Their feedback was crucial in refining the program content and ensuring its relevance and accessibility to those it aims to support.

The overarching goal of the SOOS project is to raise awareness of the profound physical, emotional, and psychological impact that domestic violence can have on youth. It seeks to highlight the risks associated with exposure to DV, provide meaningful support to those affected, and educate the wider public on prevention strategies.

Ultimately, the SOOS project aims to reduce the prevalence of domestic violence and contribute to the creation of safer, healthier environments for young people across our communities.

Learn more about the project by visiting the website here.